


Christmas Gifts

by lemon7199



Category: Mary Poppins (Movies), Mary Poppins - All Media Types, Mary Poppins Returns (2018), Mary Poppins Returns - Fandom
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Gift Giving, Surprises, That goddamn snowglobe, The snowglobe, long time no see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 14:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17226029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon7199/pseuds/lemon7199
Summary: Alternate title: The fate of that godforsaken snowglobeMary Poppins finds herself at 17 Cherry Tree Lane for Christmas Day





	Christmas Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> It's still christmas, therefore I still can post this without being executed for being a heathen or whatever  
> I thought of this when trying to figure out why the fuck Mary's snowglobe was in the Banks attic in the latest movie, and this just... happened  
> un beta'd, I own nothing, english isn't my first language so on and so forth  
> comment and kudos if you like it, i like you

Christmas Day was best spent with family. Of course, Mary Poppins barely had a family, at least not since Uncle Albert passed away many years ago, with a hearty laugh glued onto his face even in rigor mortis. There was Cousin Topsy, of course, but she wasn’t climbing the list of people that Mary could spend more than two consecutive hours with without feeling the urge to stuff the umbrella down their throat. This was of course a very impertinent thought, and Mary would never admit to it, even under death threat. Given this lack of immediate family, it was with great surprise that Mary found herself lounged in one of the armchairs in the sitting room of 17 Cherry Tree Lane, her hands working on a piece of knitting that had laid unfinished at the bottom of her carpet bag for much too long. She could feel the curious eyes of one Georgie Banks lingering upon her knitting, trying to explain to himself how the needles for just one moment had moved on their own when she almost had lost a mesh. Mary’s face, as usual, revealed nothing, and the boy soon dismissed it as an illusion and returned to unwrapping Christmas gifts along with his older siblings. Jack was hunched on the floor with the children, making jokes and playing with them, his face wearing the same childlike glee found within those unwilling, or unable, to grow up. Mary smiled gently, her gaze moving from the commotion on the floor, to Jane Banks, sitting in the other armchair. Her eyes had a familiar, loving twinkle to them as she locked eyes with Jack, her hands resting on the slight protrusion of her stomach. Everyone else was pretending not to notice the baby bump. Michael Banks was helping Ellen in the kitchen, God knows she needed it.

Whilst Mary was very content with spending Christmas together with the Banks family, and Jack, her gaze crossed that of her umbrella, the parrot raising its carefully painted, wooden eyebrow as if to ask what she was thinking about. She had barely had any charges during the months since she had left the Banks family for the second time around, and yet the wind had changed enough to put her upon their doorstep once again, instead of actually letting her do something useful with her life.

“I want to give it to her!”

A very loud whisper brought Mary back to reality, and she opened her mouth automatically as to remind the Banks children that whispering was very impolite. However, she closed her mouth as she remembered that she was no longer in charge of their mannerisms.

“Why don’t you all give it together?” Michael Banks suggested with a smile, as he reached down to ruffle John’s hair. He scowled at his father but nodded all the same. Mary raised her eyebrows curiously as the three children walked up to her armchair, handing her a small, messily wrapped gift. She put aside her knitting to hold the gift properly, heavy given its small size.

“Read the note!” Annabel pointed out when Mary could find no words to say that would express her surprise (and thankfulness). Mary shot her a sharp look, firmly but gently telling her not to rush other people. She stretched her fingers and grasped the small note, opening her mouth to read it aloud, but quickly closed it again.

_Many thanks_  
_Sincerely,  
Jane and Michael Banks_

Mary’s lips shaped into a wide smile, and she blinked hard a few times to make sure that her tear canals weren’t acting up.

“I thought you should have it back”, Michael pointed out gently, having arrived by Mary’s side, perching himself on the armrest. Jane had also drawn nearer, Jack by her side with a supporting arm around her waist.

“Now really, I couldn’t…” Mary began, but a gentle hand was put upon her arm, and she turned her head to face Georgie.

“Mary Poppins, wouldn’t it be rude to turn down a gift?” he said, his cheeky grin much like his father’s once had been.

“Very well, I suppose it would”, she reasoned and gently began prying open the wrapping paper. Into her hand fell a snowglobe, very old and slightly chipped, but still a very accurate portraying of St Paul’s Cathedral.

“It is yours, isn’t it?” Michael said when Mary said nothing. “I remember you bringing it with you, when you left the first time, but earlier this year… I somehow found it in the attic.”

Mary huffed a laugh, clutching the snowglobe tightly in her hand.

“We thought you might like it back, again”, said Jane, handing her former nanny a handkerchief. Mary accepted it, wiping away a rogue tear, trailing her left cheek.

“It must have found its way back, I suppose”, Mary then said, smiling to them all. The children all looked utterly confused as though an old and slightly battered snowglobe had managed to sneak a crack into the nanny’s practically perfect exterior.

“Just like you, then”, Jack added. Mary raised her eyebrows. “Findin’ its way back.”

Mary opened her mouth to reply to her friend, but once again snapped it shut as a knock was heard from the fireplace. Her heart skipped a beat as she practically leaped to her feet in what could really be called a very indignant way.

“What was that?” asked Annabel, and Mary did her best to hide a grin. There were some limits as to how improper she could be, even now.

“Grab your coats, everyone”, she said, the firm gentility back in her voice, and everyone scrambled to do as they’ve been told. After all, when Mary Poppins told them to do something, there most certainly was an adventure in store.

“Michael, fetch Ellen and take her with you first. Children after them, and make sure not to forget Gillie.”

“Where are we going?” Michael asked, helping Georgie to button his coat properly. Ellen, who didn’t need to be fetched, joined them in the sitting room with her own coat already on.

“Up the chimney, of course”, Mary said matter-of-factly, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. “You’ve done it before, Michael, don’t dawdle. Jack, hold on to Jane properly, make sure not to harm the baby.”

“How did you-”

Mary interrupted the surprised Jane impatiently; “Come on, we don’t have all day, spit spot.”

And with that, Michael and Ellen stepped into the fireplace and disappeared with a flash. The children followed them, Georgie clasping Gillie the giraffe, and they disappeared, too. When Jane and Jack both had gotten swept away, Mary took a couple of shaky steps towards the fireplace and got swept away in a whirl of soot and grime.

 

Whatever awaited them on the rooftop, none of them had been expecting it, except for maybe Jack who looked very pleased with himself. Mary had been expecting it the least and the sight of the man before her made her heart ache. Nine chairs were placed around a table, filled to the brim with tea and puddings and cakes and everything needed for a proper cup of tea on the roof. The adults, bar Mary, had all gathered around the soot-covered, gangly man, exchanging hugs and seasonal greetings. Jack looked very proud to introduce Jane as his fiancée to his old mentor, and Bert looked just as proud.

“You’ve done a good job”, Mary said politely, and the world fell silent around them. “I imagine you had some help?” Jack didn't do very well in hiding his smile.

“I ain’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about”, the older man said, his wide grin still youthful despite almost pushing sixty years of age. He stepped closer to her, the grin fading into a smile, as gentle and loving and _sad_ as Mary remembered it.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes”, he said, taking her hands in his own. Mary didn’t bother to reprimand him for leaving soot all over her hands and coat.

“You do talk nonsense, Bert”, Mary Poppins responded, pushed herself up on her toes, gently brushing his lips together with hers.


End file.
